Need explanation

Hello friends,

IŽd like to ask you for explanation of few terms from one RAF document - Assessment of flying instructors:

1. Assessment of instructor: there are mentioned two forms of assessment: A. and A.A.
2. Medical classifitation: A1B.
3. Grade obtained as instructor: C.
4. In the title of tab is column with this info: Total S/E and T/E

Munro, Hi,
My RAF Form 64 (Airman's Service Book) records my Medical Category (on entry) as A4 G1.
A, as I understand it, was for Air (or Aircrew) purposes. A4 indicated that I could fly as a passenger (live freight!!) on RAF a/c. G indicated my Ground Fitness. G1 - I could do anything "They" said. There was, I think, a further category which was 'Z'. 'Z' was, I think, climatic areas of the world where one might be expected (or not!) to perform one's duties without too many visits to Station Sick Quarters.
The RafCommands 'scribblies' will, no doubt, give you chapter, verse, and line - and long may it continue!! I suspect that your Instructor's award followed very much the same pattern as the Medical Categories.
HTH
Peter Davies

Acronyms

It may depend a bit on the date and type of the document, but a Form 414(A) from 4/10/1942 in a Pilot's Log Book I have shows the following:

"Summary of Flying and Assessments for Year Commencing (Year is crossed through and Course added)

Total Hours S.E. Aircraft and M.E. Aircraft (presumably Single- and Multi-Engined respectively) sub-divided as day or night hours and as Dual Control, Pilot or Passenger

"Assessment of Ability"
(to be assessed as:- Exceptional, Above the Average, Average or Below the Average)
As a ..*...Pilot
As a Pilot-Navigator / Navigator
In Bombing
In Air Gunnery
* Insert 'F', 'L.B.','G.R.','F.B.' etc

medical classification

Australian wartime recruits wanting to be pilots needed to pass their medical with the top classification of A1B, the minimum aircrew classification was A3B. Whether the RAF standard was the same, I wouldn't know.
Regards
Max

Cat 'C' instructor was still in use in the RAF into the 1980s (This was my Cat for a time)

Qualified to teach students the entire syllabus, including pre-flight checking the aircraft, engine starts, take-offs, landings and emergency procedures.

Cat 'B' Category Instructor

As per Cat 'C' but also act as duty instructor at the squadron, conduct staff training (i.e. training of squadron pilots and instructors) and can send students off on their second and subsequent solo flights.

Cat 'A' Instructor

As per Cat 'B' but also cleared to carry out the flight-testing of squadron aircraft after routine maintenance and are responsible for the quarterly checks on the flying and instructional standards of squadron pilots.

Only instructor category that can carry out pre solo check flights and send off for first solo.